Travel Guide

Is Iran Safe?

Iran is a safe place to
travel, so much so that many travelers describe it as the ‘safest country I’ve
ever been to’, or ‘much safer than travelling in Europe’. Violent crime against
foreigners is extremely rare and, indeed, if you do your best to fit in with
local customs, you are unlikely to be treated with anything but courtesy and
friendliness. that applies to Americans, too.

The whole process will
normally take a minimum of one month. Please note, however, that the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs is the sole decision making authority as to whether or not
to issue your visa or when. If they have any concerns about your application,
this could hold up the application process. It is advisable, therefore, to
allow at least 8 weeks before you intend to travel.

Can I get a visa at the
airport on arrival in Iran?

You can obtain a visa on
arrival for a stay of 30 days (extendable for another 15 days), at the
following airports:

- Konarak Airport (Chah-Bahar)

- Isfahan International Airport (Isfahan)

- Kish International Airport (Kish Island)

- Mashhad International Airport (Mashad)

- Dayrestan Airport (Qeshm Island)

- Shiraz International Airport (Shiraz)

- Tabriz International Airport (Tabriz)

- Imam Khomeini International Airport and Mehrabad
International Airport (Tehran)

Those who have been to Iran
have felt spoiled by the variety of high quality stews and kebabs among many
other dishes. There are restaurants of various kinds. You will find a lot of
herbs and spices, but Iranian dishes are not as hot and spicy as the Indian
ones. A moderate amount of them is added to food just to give them different
tastes. As there are not genetically manipulated vegetables and fruits in Iran,
they taste the same old natural tastes everybody appreciates them. The meat
usually served in the restaurants is chicken, veal, fish and lamb. Of course,
you may find turkey, quail and shrimp too, but no pork, snake, frog, dog or
other kinds. They are prohibited to be taken in Islam and this is observed
everywhere. The vegetarians can order raw or cooked vegetables in the hotels as
well as restaurants.

What kinds of drinks are
possible to buy in Iran?

You can buy any kinds of soft
non-alcoholic drinks. There are Iranian made drinks as well as international
brands served everywhere. People drink tap water. It is filtrated and refined
before supplied to them, but for the newcomers traveling to Iran, I do not
recommend it. Instead, you’d better take Iranian bottled water prepared
according to the international standards for both domestic and export uses.

What is the usual clothing
in Iran?

Women wear non-transparent,
loose garments covering all their bodies except for the hands and face. Color
is a free choice, but red, orange, pink or similar colors are not put on during
national or private sad occasions. Black is not a must. Chador is not a must
either, but when it comes to visit a holy mausoleum and you have the
opportunity to experience wearing a chador for a few minutes, do not skip the
opportunity to feel the atmosphere. Men put on non-transparent garments too.
They may wear short-sleeve shirts or T-shirts (unlike women), but not shorts in
the public. The choice of color is the same for men as well. Due to the heat of
the Sun and in order to protect your skin, I would not recommend wearing short
sleeve shirts. If you do, do not forget to put on some Sun block cream on your
skin. But, it is your choice!

What goods are regarded as
forbidden postal items?

1) Narcotics and laxatives,
2) Explosives, radioactive and inflammable materials or other dangerous
materials, 3) Items against Islamic moralities, 4) Live animals except for
honey bees, leeches, silkworms, parasites and bug-busting animals recognized by
the institutes, 5) Goods forbidden to enter the destination country, 6) Items
that might cause a danger for post company’s personnel or might hurt the other
postal items or equipment, and 7) Private documents corresponded between
parties other than the sender or the receiver or any of their family members.

What are the working days
and off days in Iran?

Iranian working days are from
Saturday to Thursday and Fridays are the National off days. On Thursdays, some
companies are totally off and some are working only half day.

What is the time
difference with the rest of the world?

The formula to set your time
is very simple: GMT +3.5 (GMT +4.5 from March 20 to September 21).

Is it possible to bring
alcoholic beverage to Iran?

Entering Iran; bringing
alcohol is forbidden. It is possible to get non-alcoholic beverages almost all
over the country.

Is it customary to do
tipping in Iran? Where and when?

Yes. It is customary to tip
porters, servants and janitors in hotels, porters in the airports, waiters or
waitresses in restaurants, drivers giving services during tours as well as
guides.

Money Questions

What is the Iranian
currency?

The Iranian official currency
is Rial. Rials are available in coins and notes. Coins are only marked in
Persian script and numerals, but one side of the notes is printed in English.

Are credit cards accepted
in Iran?

Not exactly. There are not
any official services for the internationally known credit cards in Iran. Some
Iranian private banks are trying to arrange services for the international
credit cards these days. Also, some smart businessmen can accept credit cards.
In some particular shops you can purchase some items like carpets, handicrafts,
jewels, etc by credit cards like in some major hotels or some other shops
outside hotels.

Generally, Bring cash in US
dollars or euro.

Are the prices high or low
in Iran?

Fortunately, the price for
the majority of the items that tourists are looking for are relatively low.
Items like high quality books, souvenirs, meals, foodstuff and transportation
are very tempting because of their relatively high quality yet low prices.

Grand Bazaar in Tehran. The bazaar you can't find anywhere else!

What’s the daily cost in
Iran?

- Budget: 60$

- Midrange: 60-175$

- Top End: 175$

--Four-star hotel in Tehran

--Main meal in classy restaurant

Where can I exchange money?

It is possible to exchange
money already at the airport, no matter at what time; but only special banks do
exchange money. Also there are exchange shops available in most big cities. The
following currencies can be easily exchanged at any Exchange Shop: US Dollars, Euro,
British Pounds, French Franken, Japanese Jen and so on.

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TGC exhibition, is being held by Iran Computer and Video Games Foundation in partnership with Game Connection.